Power of the Gods
by Z98
Summary: With the majority of the great powers of Azeroth weakened by the Burning Legion's invasion, a single blood elf begins plotting. His plot? Only time will tell.


I am making the assumption that Night Elves are vegetarian.

Power of the Gods

Prologue: The Might of Sargeras

"So this is the Broken Isles."

From the deck of his flagship, Lord Blair Hawkings looked out at the land spread out before him. Ruins covered much of the islands and it was obvious there would be dangers all around. The first exploratory ships had already landed and the beginnings of bases started. Soon Blair would join his forces on solid ground and begin the dig.

"Lord Hawkings."

Blair turned and faced his second, Captain Keraus. One of the surviving high elves, Keraus suffered the withdrawal from the magical energies that had fed his people for generations. Sometimes it showed, but Keraus kept it under control the majority of the time.

"Our scouts have reported little activity on the island. The native creatures are not a threat and our forces will begin the excavation shortly."

"Excellent. I think it's time we joined them on the beach."

Both men got into the boat and were rolled ashore. Keraus' red armor glinted under the sun while Blair's black armor simply seemed to absorb the light. In fact, it could almost be said that a shadow surrounded the young lord.

"Sir! Scouts have encountered a group of night elves. We are pulling back our forces and preparing a defense."

Blair nodded. He wasn't surprised that the night elves would keep a presence here, especially considering this was the site of Sargeras' tomb.

"Dispatch an envoy," he ordered them. "If we can avoid a battle, that would be to our benefit. If they insist on a confrontation, then so be it."

"Yes my lord."

Groups of peasants milled about, erecting defenses before beginning the construction of barracks and farms for the outpost. A lumber mill was quickly set up and soon the trees were being felled. Through all this activity scores of soldiers continued unloading. Footmen marched throughout the base, securing it against anything that might attempt to threaten the budding foothold of the expedition. Knights led the patrols while the paladins kept guard of the excavation equipment that was being unloaded and assembled.

It wasn't too long before the envoy returned and were allowed into the base. They quickly came up to Blair with their report.

"The night elves apparently are stranded on the island," the officer said. "They are led by a warden named Maiev Shadowsong and have requested our assistance in returning to their home."

Upon hearing the name of the warden, Blair couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

"Out of the many people that might oppose our expedition, she is most certainly one of them," he said. "Inform the warden that I shall speak with her, though on neutral grounds. Neither of our bases is a suitable location for negotiations."

"Yes my lord."

After the knight left Blair turned to his lieutenant.

"Initiate the excavation," he ordered. "I will try to buy some time but I want that tomb unearthed once again. Illidan might have been a fool, but he was on the right track."

"Yes my lord."

Keraus ran off and soon enough the machines were rolling out. It was obvious they would be followed by the night elves but the presence of so many guards would be good deterrence. The Dragonhawk Riders above them would also provide a good screen against any possible attack. It wasn't long before they reached the collapsed entrance to the tomb and the machines began drilling at once. The stone quickly crumbled and the peasants started clearing it away. It would take time, but they would dig up the entire tomb if need be.

-Neutral Meeting Grounds-

There were several uses for the cloak that Blair wore. One was for concealment, but another was protection. Magic had been woven in and acted as a shield against anything that might try to harm him. As he watched Maiev approach, Blair felt that the protection might be needed.

"Maiev Shadowsong," he greeted.

"Blair Hawkings. Strange that I have never heard of you, and yet you have managed to gather quite a large force. What brings you to this desolate island?"

"I came out of my own curiosity," said Blair. "Perhaps it was good fortune that you were found by my forces and not be the demons."

"That is still to be determined," Maiev replied coolly. "You would not have come here without a reason."

Blair smiled. "Ever the suspicious one, Warden."

Maiev looked at the human before her and couldn't help but shudder. Despite the fact that he was human, Blair was as tall as her and strongly built. Much of his form was hidden by the shadowy cloak but the presence he held was clear.

"My reason for coming here is quite simple," said Blair. "There is a power down within the tombs of Sargeras and I intend to claim it."

"Are you mad?" Maiev demanded. "Demonic magic is chaotic and corrupting, and yet you would court it?"

"Do you think my people have a choice in this matter?" Blair replied. "Prince Kael'thas leads some of our people and has allied with Illidan, while the rest have chosen to follow me. We are haunted by our addiction to magic, an addiction that we cannot break. The only way is to feed it."

This clearly surprised Maiev and her escorts. They looked at Blair hard and searched for the familiar features under his hood.

"You are a blood elf?" Maiev said, a little unsure.

"Actually, I am only half elf," he stated. "My mother was an elf and my father a mage of the Alliance. However, I am what united the remnants of my people with the many survivors of humanity and now I command their loyalty."

"And yet you would invite down the powers that destroyed both your peoples before?"

"Like many people, I also have a plan," Blair replied, still calm. "You can assist in it, but I will not broker interference. Your people are tired and weakened after chasing Illidan for so long. My forces on the other hand are fresh and ready for battle. Make your choice wisely."

It was then that Maiev noticed the dozens of human and elven warriors gathered around them. She cursed herself for falling into such an obvious trap and for not noticing the movement all around them. This half-breed was truly cunning.

"You cannot possibly trust our loyalty if you force us into an alliance with you," Maiev stated plainly.

"I don't," said Blair. "What I want is assurance that you and your people will not interfere with the excavation. And to do that, I will have to keep you on a very short leash."

Maiev's eyes burned with fury as she realized what was happening. Not only was Blair intelligent and cunning, he was also devious. Just what exactly his plan was, Maiev could not fathom. However, she felt uneasy just considering the possibilities.

"Very well then," she said. "We will not interfere with your excavation, on one condition. When you are finished, you will transport my sisters back to Kalimdor."

Blair smiled though it was barely visible with his hood replaced.

"Providing you stay at my side, Warden Shadowsong, I can promise one other thing as well. You have hunted Illidan for so long now with the goal of recapturing him. Why not simply kill him?"

Maiev darkened. "That is something I have considered, but he is too powerful to kill outright."

"For you, perhaps. However, my powers will soon match his at the least. You wish to see Illidan subdued, if not dead. I can assist with that."

"And the price?" Maiev asked.

"You are the Warden," Blair said. "It doesn't seem appropriate that I should have to track him down and kill him without your assistance."

"And thus you bring another force into your fold."

"Something like that," Blair said with another sinister smile. "Keep this in mind, Watcher. I do not need you, but I will use you."

Maiev considered his words and looked at her sister night elves. She had been what brought them to this forsaken island and the only way for them to ever escape alive was to go along with Blair's scheme. However, she would not draw her sisters in any deeper.

"I will assist you," she stated, "but my sisters will be returned home. They will not join your forces."

Blair shrugged. "A good officer is worth a hundred warriors. As long as you maintain your loyalty, this deal is acceptable."

Though she felt a deep sense of foreboding, this was the only way to get her sisters home after everything they had gone through. And if this half-breed could help her hunt down Illidan, then so much the better.

"Then I shall stay by your side."

As the meeting disbanded and Maiev sent her escorts back to the base, several officers appeared. Maiev took note of their leader. He was a full-blood elf and yet he seemed to be of lower rank than Blair. Perhaps this half-breed really did command the loyalty of the remaining blood elves not aligned with Illidan. If that was so, they did stand a chance against the traitor's forces.

"My lord, the excavation has dug away a good deal of the tomb's upper levels. The teams are going deeper as we speak."

"Excellent. Make sure they're careful about the digging. Who knows what still lurks down there."

"Yes my lord."

Almost immediately guards surrounded Maiev and Blair as they walked towards the site of the tomb. When they came into view Maiev couldn't help but be impressed. The humans had already dug up a good deal of the tomb and were already carting away many artifacts. Suddenly something erupted from underneath a pile of rocks and charged out.

"Felhound!" Maiev cried.

"So I see some demons have survived," Blair said dryly.

Without warning Blair leapt forward and made the impossibly long jump over to the Felhound. The demonic beast roared and charged but was unprepared to fight someone of Blair's power. When it was almost upon him Blair punched the creature and his hand sliced right through its body. The thing fell in two bloody halves with a thud. All of the gathered workers cheered and Maiev began to understand why Blair had so many followers. Even if he was devious, he was a good leader. Still, she would not forgive him for putting her in such a situation.

"Be more careful," Blair shouted to all the workers and guards. "I'll not always be here to watch out for you."

With that he walked back over the Maiev and signaled the guards. They all turned around and started heading out. Maiev had no choice but to follow and along the way she tried to get a feel of what Blair was. His little demonstration of power had clearly been meant for her, though it would take more than that to keep her under control. In the end there were too many questions in her mind and none could be answered without asking Blair. Unfortunately, Maiev was hardly in the mood to be civil with the half-breed lord.

The base on the ledge overlooking the ocean was already half complete. For the moment tents were set up to act as housing and everything else was very temporary. The entire fleet was anchored but it wouldn't be too difficult to evacuate if necessary. As Blair surveyed the expedition, he found that everything was running smoothly. Hopefully things would stay that way.

"Tell me, half-breed," Maiev began. "What exactly are you searching for?"

Blair regarded Maiev with an odd look before replying. "Illidan was able to find an artifact of great power within the tomb of Sargeras. Though you destroyed it, I was once close enough to be able to sense its energies. Ever since then, I have felt the same energy coming from these tombs. This means there is another such artifact buried in the ruins, one that Illidan did not find. I intend to claim it."

"Do you know how dangerous demonic powers are?" Maiev demanded. "Do you know your chaotic and corrupting they are? Are you truly foolish enough to meddle with it?"

"Didn't you ask me this before? And did I not say I have a plan?"

"I do not believe any 'plan' you could possibly have will survive contact with the corruption of the demons," Maiev stated blandly.

To her surprise Blair laughed and continued to do so for quite a bit. When he stopped, her annoyance had only grown.

"I did not think night elves had a sense of humor," said Blair. "Then again, I didn't think any elves had a sense of humor. It's good to know I was wrong."

"I fail to see what was so amusing."

"That would be your loss then."

They walked further into the camp and Blair whispered something to Keraus and the elf nodded. He disappeared but came back moments later.

"Lady Shadowsong, accommodations have been made for your stay. Your tent will be next to Lord Blair's."

"A pity," Shadowsong muttered.

As a guard led her away Keraus approached his leader.

"My lord, are you sure it is wise to have her with us? She obviously holds you in contempt and her loyalty is questionable."

"She lives for the hunt, Keraus. As long as she feels that Illidan is within her reach, Maiev can be controlled," Blair assured his subordinate. "Besides, despite everything else, she is a good fighter. We could always use more warriors."

"If you say so, my lord."

Blair stood in the center of all the activity and took several moments to dwell in it.

"Keraus, you were raised in Silvermoon, were you not?"

"Yes my lord."

"What was it like living in the capital of Quel'Thalas?" Blair asked.

"Wondrous, sir. The city was beautiful beyond words with its palaces and temples. Even the housing for the masses were built in an orderly fashion to allow the beauty of the world to show."

"Is that so? I have never stepped foot in Silvermoon. Now that it has been destroyed, I may never do so."

"It will be rebuilt," Keraus stated confidently. "Perhaps it will even be you who rebuilds it, my lord."

Beneath the hood Blair couldn't help but have one of his little smiles. While his lieutenant had a good deal of confidence in him, Blair hoped that it was correctly placed. They would know once the artifact was found.

-Tent of Maiev Shadowsong-

The warden paced inside her tent and tried to figure out how she had gotten herself into this situation. This all led back to Illidan and she was sorely tempted to try to kill the traitor once she found him again. The half-breed would be useful in that respect at least. Still, it galled her that she had been manipulated like this. Whatever plan the half-breed had, she did not want to be part of it.

A servant walked in and notified Maiev of dinner. Apparently she was supposed to dine with the half-breed, an honor she could have lived without. However, unlike others, Maiev was honorable and would hold up her end of the bargain. She would see her sisters home no matter what.

Maiev shed her cloak and took off the mask but kept the knives. It would hardly do to be in the half-breed's company unarmed. Apparently he didn't think the same as Blair simply sat there with his cloak hanging on a stand. Another surprise awaited her as Maiev looked at Blair, whose face was clearly visible now. Though for the most part Blair was handsome, there were two very unsettling things about him. The first was his right eye, which had a dark red iris. That was something she could get used to, but the other eye was a whole other story. All that was there was the eye socket. There wasn't even an eyeball and Blair did nothing to conceal it. This explained why he kept his hood up so much outside.

"Have a seat," Blair invited.

Maiev walked over and sat down across from Keraus. The blood elf didn't seem to mind the fact that his leader was missing an eye. Perhaps it was because he was used to it. Food was brought in and it involved freshly caught fish and some vegetables. The vegetables didn't look fresh and Maiev sniffed one.

"My apologies in terms of the side dishes," Blair said. "They're from our stores and it is difficult to preserve fresh food on such long voyages. My foragers haven't found that many edible plants yet on these islands so for now we only have this."

"I could contact my scouts and have them show your men where to find proper food," Maiev said as she picked through the dead plants. "Anything so that we can have some proper food."

"An escort will be provided," Blair allowed. He wasn't that trusting of Maiev and the warden knew it.

Maiev did her best to ignore the meat. Unlike these barbarians, the night elves did not need the meat of animals to survive. The sustenance from the plants around them were more than enough. It simply showed how uncivilized these outsiders were.

As they ate, Keraus took the time to report.

"So far the excavation has removed the top layer of the tomb. We expect it will take two more days before we locate the other chambers."

"Other chambers?" Even if she disliked their company, it would pay to learn what she could.

"When Aegwynn first entombed Sargeras, she made sure that his physical shell would not be easy to find. Thus, the various parts of the demon lord were cut apart and hid in different chambers. Illidan found one of them, but there are several others."

"What is it that you are looking for?" Maiev asked.

"I think it should be obvious."

The grin on Blair's face was so cold that the warden felt a chill, and the hollow eye socket told all.

"You cannot be serious! Illidan merely used the eye of Sargeras as a tool. Even he dared not claim its full power as his own!"

Blair put down the fork and clasped his hands together.

"Let's review the current situation of the world," he said. "Azeroth was nearly destroyed in the two Orc invasions and it was only the Alliance of Lordaeron that saved it. It has been rebuilt to a moderately powerful kingdom but of course its power is nothing compared to the Alliance's full might. Right now, it is one of the last bastions of human power in the eastern continent."

"And how is this supposed to explain your obsession with demonic magic?" Maiev questioned.

"Allow me to finish first. Lordaeron and Quel'Thalas have all but been destroyed and are now in the hands of the Scourge. Of course, this means that the surviving humans and elves of the Alliance will be hard pressed to even survive, especially with the plague rolling south."

Blair took a sip from his wineglass before continuing.

"Now as for the survivors on Kalimdor. The Orcs have done quite well, forming their own nation and becoming a major power again. As there are no demonic or undead forces remaining on Kalimdor, I assume that they will be safe for now. There is also a small human colony on Theramore Isle off the coast of Kalimdor but their treaty with the Orcs will keep the two from fighting for now. Your night elf brothers and sisters are very adept at hiding themselves and I do not know of their status. However, I can only assume they remain strong and ready to fight against any that would dare intrude upon their territory."

"In that you are correct."

Another smile appeared before Blair's face turned stern again.

"The last variable is the undead Scourge in Northrend. By all accounts, Illidan failed to destroy the Lich King and some say that Arthas has become the Lich King. I am not completely sure regarding the facts, but I'll assume that Arthas has taken control of the majority of the Scourge. So far there has not been much activity by the Scourge but one can only assume they are biding their time for another attack."

"So you wish to destroy the Scourge?" Maiev asked. "Why is it necessary then to take the eye of Sargeras for yourself?"

"The combined might of Orcs, trolls, humans, blood elves, night elves, dwarves, and gnomes might possibly be enough to destroy the Scourge," said Blair. "I'd rather have better odds when I attempt to retake Quel'Thalas, especially since that land has been overtaken by the plague."

"That still does not explain your reasoning," Maiev insisted. "Especially since there is nothing left for you in Quel'Thalas."

Blair shrugged. "Don't be so sure of that, warden, especially since you don't know what my plan is."

"I would if you explained it to me."

"I'm preparing to tip the balance of power, and that is all I will say for now."

Without another word Blair started eating again and Maiev could do nothing to get the half-breed to explain any further. After she finished the meal the warden returned to her tent and went to bed. Needless to say, her journey had only begun.

End of Prologue


End file.
